James Walsh

James (Jim) Walsh was born April 21, 1938 in Eagle Bend, Minnesota, to parents George Walsh and Florence Therrien. Jim passed away peacefully on November 6, 2020. Jim taught science at Kashmere High School in Houston, TX from 1962 to 2002. After retirement, he traveled extensively. Very devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he kept a collection of her statues, one from each of the seven continents he had visited.

Jim was a secular Carmelite, a lifelong member of the St. John of the Cross Community since 1988. He made his final promise in 1996 with a special dedication to St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Jim graduated with distinction from St. Edwards University with a BS in Science; he also graduated from the University of Houston with a MBA in Education.

From 2003 to 2018, Jim was a devoted, caring volunteer, faithfully ministering to men at the downtown Harris County Jail. He spent countless hours, several days every week, bringing Holy Communion to the incarcerated men in their pods and praying with them. He was tireless in his rounds, covering all the floors in the jail from bottom to top. He never met a stranger and could talk to and console the men no matter what their religion or personal background. The men loved his stories. He was also part of bi-monthly Catholic services for men at the Wynne and Estelle Units in Huntsville. He participated in many Kolbe Prison Retreats at various TDCJ Units (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) within the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese.

Anyone who knew Jim enjoyed his repertoire of corny jokes, which amused his students and the prisoners he served as well as his friends. Jim spent his last years at a senior living facility, Auberge at Cypresswood, where he enjoyed sharing the many pictures he took during his travels with the staff and residents.